CA2112834A1

CA2112834A1 - Counterbalanced flex window

Info

Publication number: CA2112834A1
Application number: CA002112834A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Harry F. Sprague
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-08-09
Filing date: 1994-01-05
Publication date: 1995-02-10
Also published as: US5363898A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A counterbalanced flex window wherein the sashes thereof, being joined together by a hinge, flex and fold toward each other when the window is released for opening and thereafter automat-ically maintain randomly adjusted open positions without the need for supplemental manually engaged incremental adjustment latch devices.

Description

~ 1~

COUNTERBALANCED FLEX WINDOW
BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
me present invention relates to a counterbalanced flex window adapted to be opened by means of the sashes thereof flex-S ing and foldably closing upon themselves about a ~oining hinge.
The advantage of suGh a window, when sashes thereof are relea~-able from both the top nnd bottom, is that ono may position the same so a3 to enable access from inside to clean both the inter-ior and exterior surfacos of the ~indow sash panes.
Exemplary of flex ~indo~ teachings are thoas as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,330,696 to Exiner dated 28 September, 1943, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,133 to ~askoll dated 20 November, 1956. As i8 typical of prior srt flex window structures, however, and as respectively sho~n in each of the foregoin~ references, ~ome sort lS of a mechanical holding or latching means i~ necessary to retain set of the foldably opened sashes of a flex window in an opened position as oppo~ed to the employment of a conventional counter-balancing means. In both Exiner and ~askell mechanical locking devicos aro employed to hold the foldably opened sashe~ in a fixed po~ition. On the other hand, in a teaching by Da~es in U.S. Pat. No. 2,408,739 dated 8 October, 1946, the flox ~indo~
sash i8 not only foldably opened and operated, but held as ~ell al o in a ~ixed po~ition by moans of a pivotally connected threaded collar vertically driven by a crank operated cooperative threaded shaft.
A c~m operated balance shoe of that type typically illu~-trated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,676 to Sterner, Jr., dated 4 August, 1987, in combination with the constant force :

counterbalance coil spring application as typically de~cribed and taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,9~5,987 to Sterner, Jr., dated 26 ~une, 1990, are ~imilar to those generally like components employed by the instant applicant, in combination one with the other end with S a flex windo~ structure, in crder to provide the automatic count-erbalance and opening set capabilities as herein~taught.
As contra~ted to the foregoing, applicant herein by his invention provides a convonient new and novel means for counter-bslancing A flex ~in~ow 80 tho same may bo opened and 80t at any ràndom position within the range thereof without a need for use of supplemental mechanical hardware mean~ for effecting po~itive latch engagement and retained sash set at one of a limited range ~ -of predetermined positions.
SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
The principal ob~ect of the present invention is to provide a counterbalanced flex window with the sashes thereof joined together by a suitable hinge to thereby permit outward flexing ~ -action where ~oined with the inside faces of the sashes folding toward each other at a desired angle when the window i8 moved from an exte~ded closed poeition to a flexed open position.
It is another ob~ect of the presene invention to provide a countorbalanced flex window which incorporates a coil ~pring counterbalance means for automatically maintaining the f1exed open bottom sa~h thereof in randomly adjusted open position~
without the need for supplemental manually engaged incremental ad~ustment latch securement means. ;~
An addition~l object of the pre~ent invention is to provide a counterbalanced flex window wherein the top sash thereof, when - 3 - ~ ~-released for vertically ~lidable di~placement, i8 automatically retained in a randomly ad~u~ted open position by means of a cam operated $rictional balance ahoe means.
Still another ob~ect of the pre~ent invention i8 to provide a counterbalanced flex window having adjustment featurea which enable sash poaitioning from a closed mode to an~opened vent modo.
It i8 a further ob~ect of the preaent invention to provide a counterbalanced flex ~indow having adjuatment features ~hich onablo sash positioning from eithor a clo~ed mode or an opened vont ~ode to a cloaning ~odo.
Yet another ob~ect of the present invention i8 to provide a counterbalanced flex window which, when positioned in the cleaning mode, permit~ cleaning of both the interior and exterior lS ~urfaces of both ~indo~ sashea from inside the room.
It i8 al~o an objoct of the preaent invention to provide a counterbalanced flex ~indow which incorporatea a retractable acreen for prevonting the entry of inaecta when tho ~indo~ is positioned in the vent ~ode.
Tho forogoing, and other ob~ects hereof, will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and acconpanying drawinga comprising a part thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 ia a vertical side elevation soctional vie~ through a 2S counterbalanced flex ~indo~ of inatant invention, ~ho~ing the same in an extended clo ed and laeched position.
Fig. 2 ia a vertical side elevation ~ectional vio~ of ~aid ~indo~ si~ilar to that a~ previoualy ~hown, but with the latching _ 4 ~

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mechani~m thereof released a~d the bottom sash flexed upward to a randomly adjusted open position.
Fig. 3 i~ a vertical 3ide elevation sectional view of said window similar to that as previously shown but with the bottom ~ash thereof further flexed upward to the opened vent mode position and the retractable screen thereof pullod down.
Fig. 4 is a vertical side elevation sectional view of ~aid window similar to that a8 previously shown, but with the top sash theroof released for vertically slidable di~placemont to the cleaning mode po~itio~ and the screen thereof in the retracted and stowed position.
Fig. 5 i8 an enlA.~ged top sectional view through the latching mechani~m of said window, as shown in Fig. 1 and seen along the line 5 - 5 thoreof.
lS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~E INVENTION
Referring to Fig. 1 the counterbalanced flex window 10 of present invention is shown in double hung profile in a vertical side elevation sectional view to illustrate the major ~tructural components thoreof, boing a top sash 12 and a bottom sash 14 cooporatively set within a window frame structure 16 and therein secured in an extended ~losed position 18 as shown by means of a latching mechanism 20, wherein the bottom sash 14 when pivotally moved about the sash frame ~oining hinge 22 relative to the top ~ -sash 12 displaces vertically by means of movement of the bottom sash ~hoe 24 upwardly within the fra~e structure tracks 26 to a randomly ad~u~ted flexed open position 28 as hereinafter shown and de~cribed on a consideration of Fig. 2, or the vent mode position 30 as shown in Fig. 3, and is automatically maintained 3 '~
in those position~ by me~ns of the coil spring counterbalance a~sembly 32, as well as when the top ~a~h 12 is concurrently released for displacement to an adju~ted open position by retraction of the top sash retaining pintle 34 to allow for vertical downward movement thereof within the frame structuro 16 pivotally about the hinge 22 relative to the bottom sa h 14 to the cleaning mode position 36 as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the top sash 12 i9 maintained in the opened cleaning mode po3ition 36 relative to the bottom sash 14 by mean~ of a cam oporated frictional balance shoe 38 cooperatively operable ~ith said coil spring counterbalance assembly 32 and said bottom sa~h shoe 24.
Referring again to Fig. 1 to consider in greater detail the cooporative structural aspects of said counterbalanced flex ~indow 10 and the operation thereof, wherein it will be noted lS that the top and bottom sa~he~ 12 and 14 are of typicsl double-pane insulated construction respectively having an interior and exterior pane 40 and 42 separated by insulation spacers 44 with an insulating dead air space 46 therebetween, each of which in turn is respectively contained within a top and bottom sash frame 48 and 50. It will also be noted that although the top and bottom sashes 12 and 14 are of the same width dimension, tho top ~ash 12 is of a nominally longer vertical dimension than that of the bottom sash 14 in order to accommodate more suitably the various opened profile sets of said counterbalanced flex windo~ -10 as ~ill hereinafter be more fully described and explained.
In the oxtended and closed position 18 as ~hown in Fig. 1, the top and bottom sashes 12 and 14 are stacked on vertical ;~
alignment ~ithin the window frame structure 16, wherein 16T ~ ~;

- 6 _ , : ' ~ ~ ' ' ' ' ' de~ignate~ the top of the window frame, 16I the building structure interior or inside face thereof, 16B the window frame bottom, and 16E the building structure exterior or outside face thereof. Thus, all manipulations and adiustment ~ets of the window lO from the extended closed po~ition 18 as shown in Fig. 1 to various of the opened positions as hereinafter described would be accomplished by a person ~ituated inside on the 16I building structure interior of that building in which said window 10 was installed. Also included as a component asse2bly for use when ~0 the ~indow 10 is profiled in the vent mode position 30 is a re-tractable screen 54 ~ith a screen retaining guide track 56 ~hich -i8 adapted to maintain ~he drawn screen 58 aR shown in Fig. 3 in a secure insect barrier profile when in use.
Turning again to Fig. 1 for a more detailed consideration of lS the cooperative working components of the counterbalance flex ~indow 10, and considering first the coil spring counterbalance ass~mbly 32 which operates primarily to automatically counter-balance the bottom sash 14 ~hen the latching mechanism 20 is man-ually moved from the latch keeper position 60a to the latch release position 60b as sho~n in Fig. 5, and the window lO iR
thereafter manually profiled from the extended closed position 18 as shown in Fig. 1 to any of the previously mentioned opened positions 28, 30, or 36. As illuatrated, the coil spring count-orbalance assembly 32 for the bottom sash 14 in this exemplary ~ ;
caso is comprised of two constant force counterbalance coil sprinqs 62, wherein the specific number of such coil springs 62, ~hether one or more, is determined by the individual coil spring 62 ratings and that total number of such springs either individ-_ 7 _ ,,: L,,J ~'~
.
ually or cumulatively neces~ary to counterbalance the bottom sash 14 cooperstively with the top sash 12 in any of the vhri OU3 window 10 opened profile position posaibilities. Attachment of the coil 0prings 62 is by means of screw~ 64 installed by S threadable engagement to the window frame structure 16 in close insertable support of said springs 62 respectively through the core opening~ thereof. Thereafter, the respective coil ~pring ribbons 66 are extended and the ends thereof slidably installed within the coil spring ribbon attachment fflots 68 of tho bottom ~O sa~h shoe 24.
It ~ill be notod that the bottom sash shoe 24 has a split S9 within which op~rates an eccentric rotary cam 70b keyed to receive and be driven by a cam shaft 72b which is installed to tho lower end of the bottom sash frame 50 such that ~hen the ~indo~ 10 is profiled in an opened position the bottom sash at the upper end thereof pivotally moves about the sash fra~e joining hinge 22 relative to the top sash 12 and the bottom sash shoe vertically displaces upward as guided by and within the frame structure tr~ck 26 whereby the bottom sash shoe cam ~haft 72b is rotated to drive the bottom sash shoe eccentric rotary cam 70b and thereby incromentally expand the split bottom sash shoe 24 80 that the balance shoe foet 74 thereof opposingly outward ongage the frame structure tracks 26 and frictionally stabalize the bottom sash 14 at an automatically counterbalanced opened 2S position relative to the flexed and folded profile thereof in relation to the top sash 12, the foregoing operation of ~hich is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and will be more fully explained on subsequent detailed considerations of the~e Figures.

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The cam operated frictional balance shoe 38 structure and operation thereof upon withdrawal of the top sa~h retaining pintle 34 to provide automatic ~ounterbalancing of the top sash 12 is similar to that of the bottom sash shoe 24, as will be ~ore S fully explained hereinafter on a detailed consideration and ex-planation of Fig. 4.
The counterbalanced flex window 10 a~ shown and illustrate~
in Fig. 1, and certain subsequent Figures hereinafter, may be ca~t, oxtruded or machined and fabri~ated from variou~ ~otals and alloys thereof, or pla~tics, or combinations of metals and metal alloys and plastics by methods and techniques commonly employed in such operation~.
Referring now to Fig. 2 and the randomly adjusted flexed opon position 28 profile of the counterbalanced flex window 10 to more fully explain the opening and autematic coun~erbalanced operation foatures thereof.
In order to move the window 10 from an extended and closed position 18 as sho~n in Fig. 1, which i~ the locked and secured profile thereof, and articulate the same into a randomly adjusted floxed open positlon 28 as shown in Fig. 2, it i9 necessary to disengage the latching mechanism 20 from the latch keoper ~ ~ ;
position 60a as aho~n in Fig. 5 to the latch release position 60b, thereby laterally displacing the latch keeper lug 76, against closing force of the latch compression spring 78, past tho edge of the keep~r lug retention opening 80 and thus m~ch~ic~iiy ~ ~c~n~ ~ h é~e t~ ~ ~té~ a~a~ 2 ~ 14 to pi~Ot~ïly 4~1d t:owAsd e~e~c~ o~i;~e~ h~ a~g ~ge Z2 aa t~ ~otto~ ~a~ ~e 24 ~ the ~ott~m 8a8~ ~4 ~8 ~ ~ `

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-~ moved vertically upward within confines of the frame structure trac~ 26. At thia stage, automatic counterbalancing of the ~indow 10 when opened to a randomly adju~ted flexed open posi~ion 28 as exemplary shown in Fig. 2 is achieved by means of upward S balance effected by the constane force counterbalance coil spring~ 62 communicating through the coil spring ribbons 66 in operating against the do~nward cumulative force effects primarily of the bottom sa3h 14 and that additional incremental downward ` force vector contributod by the top sash 12 minus the frictional drag effect of the balance shoe feet 74 compre~sively engaged against the frame ~tructure tracks 26 as the bottom sash shoe 24 di~place~ vertically upward within said tracks 26 upon the opening of said ~indo~ 10 in the manner instantly described and the bottom ~a~h Jhoe eccentric rotary cam 70b is rotated by the 1S bottom sa~h cam shAft 72b to deflect said feet 74 laterally outward. When manual movement of the window 10 to a randomly adjusted flexed open position 28 is accomplished as above described, then ~hatover random open position is thu~ set is automatically maintained by mechanical balance of the sashes 12 and 14 against the constant force counterbalance coil springs 62 and held in set position by frictional engagement of the bottom sash ahoe feet 74 ~ith the frame structure tracks 26. It should ba noted that compensation for the changing downward counter-balance force profile upon random flex adjustment of the lo~er sash 14 is accommodated by means of operation of the bottom sash shoè occentric rotary cam 70b as it is rotated upon vertical opening or closing displacement of the bottom sash 14 which increa~es or decreases the frictional drive effect on the feet 74 - 10 ~ "~

, i ;~ 3 i-~`
in increa~ed or decrea~ed force of engagement with the frame structure tra~ks 26, being more clearly shown when the counter-balanced flex window 10 i8 adjusted to the vent mode position 30 as illustrated in Fig. 3.
Additionally shown in greater clarity and detail in Fig. 2 are the closure sealing and insulation means for-the eop and bottom sasheR 12 and 14 when profiled in the extended closed position 18 as shown in Fig. 1, wherein sash closure sealing i8 providod by the ss~h closure ~ealing apron 82 and in~ulation in clo~ure by mutually compressive engagement of the top and bottom sash closure insulation gaskets respectively 84 and 86.
Turning attention now to Fig. 3, wherein is shown ad~ustment ~;
set of ~aid windo~ 10 in the vent mode position 30. As the base -~
of the bottom sash 14 i8 displaced vertically upward to the maximum elevation aR shown, which i3 when the counterbalance coil ; ;
spring ribbons 66 are fully retracted and the bottom ~ash ~hoe 24 ;~
continued vertical upward displacement is blocked by the coil springs 62, then the window 10 has been articulated to the vent mode position 30. At this point the maximum arcuate di~placement of the bottom Jash shoe eccentric rotary cam 70b as shown in Fig.
3, and aa drivcn by rotation of the bottom sash shoe cam ~haft 72b as previou~ly described, has been achieved and the vent mode positioning 30 of said ~indow 10 is held in the set position by maximum outward frictional engagement of the balance ~hoe feet 74 2S ~ith tho frame structure tracks 26. In the vent mode position 30 configuration it will be noted that the top sash 12 pivotally floxes about the sash frame joining hinge 22 foldably toward the bottom sash 14, but does not per se vertically displa~e within the frame ~tructure tracks 26 since the cam oper~ted balance shoe 38 therefor is blocked to downward vertical displacement by the frame in~erted top sash retainin~ pintle 34 and the uppor end of the top sash 12 ~erely pivotally deflects in plsce by means of S rotation of the top sash shoe cam shaft 72t within the eccentric rotary cam 70t.
Also shown in Fig. 3 is utilization of the retractable screen 54 wherein tho drawn screen 58 functions as an insect barrier when tho window 10 i8 pr`ofiled in the opened vent mode ~0 position 30.
Turning now to a consideration of the cleaning mode position 36 of said window 10 as illustr~ted in Fig. 4, which is that window 10 ad~ustment profile to enable cleaning of the interior and exterior sash panes 40 and 42 thereof from the window frame interior 16I side, ~herein automatic counterbalanced articulation and set of the bottom sash 14 adjustment profile in this case is as was previously describod. With respect to the top sash 12 vertical displacement adjustment profile, however, in order to facilitate access to the exterior pane 42 thereof from the window frame interior 16I side for purposes of cleanin~, the top sash retaining pintle 34 must be ~ithdrawn from the frame structure pintle retaining openings 88 therefor so that the top sash cam operated frictional balance shoe 38 is thereby released for guided vertical downward displacement within the frame structure track~ 26 as shown in Fiq. 4. In a like manner, as is with the bottom sa~h shoe 24, the cam shaft 72t affixed in this case to the upper end of the top sash 12 insertably engages and rotationally drives the top sash 12 frictional balance shoe 38 _ 12 -eccentric rotary cam 70t whic~ operates within the sash ~hoe split 69 thereof to outwardly deflect the balance shoe feet 74 which thereupon frictionally engage the frame ~tructure tracks and thereby retain said top sash 12 in a set vertically displaced S vertical adjustment profile such a~ that demonstrated and shown in Fig. 4 by the window 10 cleaning mode po8itiQn 36. Again, the coil springs 62 function as a block within the frame structure track~ 26 to limit the amount of downward vertical displacement . by the cam operated frictional balance shoe 38, a~d thus the top sa~h 12. : -~
Return of the window 10 to the extended closed position 18 as Jhow~ in Fig. 1 is accompli~hed by manually displacing the top and bottom sashe~ 12 and 14 vertically 80 the respective sash shoes 38 and 24 in turn displace vertically within the frame ~
structure tracks 26 to the window frame structure top 16T and - -bottom 16B ends ~hereupon the latching mechanism 20 deflects ~ .
against the latch compression spring 78 and re-engages the la~ch ~ :
keeper lug 76 within the lug retention opening 80, then with the top 3ash retaining pintle 34 manually re-inserted within the frame structure pintie retaining openings 88 therefor, the window 10 is again profiled in a secured and locked condition of the extended closed position 18. -~
Considering lastly the enlarged top sectional view of Fig. -;
5, which provides greater structural and functional detail of the 2S latching mechanism 20. As shown, said mechanism 20 is adapted to be manually disengaged by finger hold upon the latch keeper handle 90 and with movement thereof from the latch keeper posi- :
tion 60a to the latch release position 60b, thus moving the latch - ~3 - :.

.i 1- '`~ ,1 keeper lug 76 to clear the lug retention opening 80, and thereby unlocking the window 10 from the extended closed position 18 for opening articulation to any of the various open mode positions.
Upon closing of said window 10 the latching mechanism 20 S automatically re-engages to the latch keeper position 60a.
Although the counterbalanced flex window inyention hereof, the ~tructural characteri~tic~ and method of employment thereof, respectively have been shown and described in what i~ concqived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it i~ reco~- ~
nized that departuros may be made respectively therefrom within ,~;
the ~cope of the invention, which is not to be limited per se to tho~e specific details as disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims 80 as to embrace any and all equiv-alent ~uch devices, apparatus, and methods.

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Claims

1. A counterbalanced flex window having a frame structure with an interior side and an exterior side within which are assembled a top sash and a bottom sash pivotally joined one to the other at the respective abutting ends thereof by an elongated sash frame joining hinge said top sash and said bottom sash adapted to flex and fold one toward the other when said window is opened, said counterbalance flex window further comprising in combination a coil spring counterbalance assembly connected to said frame structure and in turn being interconnected to a bottom sash sash shoe which is adapted to be vertically slidable within a pair of frame structure tracks and automatically counterbalance said bottom sash when the same is profiled in a randomly opened disposition within said frame structure, a cam operated frictional balance shoe interconnected to said top sash and adapted to also be vertically slidable within said pair of frame structure tracks to automatically fix the adjusted placement set of said top sash in an opened disposition position within said frame structure, a latching mechanism adapted to release said top and bottom sashes for pivotal articulation, and a top sash retaining pintle adapted to be withdrawn and release said cam operated frictional balance shoe for vertically slidable displacement thereof within said pair of frame structure tracks.

2. The counterbalanced flex window according to claim 1 in which said latching mechanism is operable from said frame structure interior side.

3. The counterbalanced flex window according to claim 1 in which said coil spring counterbalance assembly embodies at least one counterbalance coil spring.

4. The counterbalanced flex window according to claim 3 in which said counterbalance coil spring is a constant force coil spring.

5. The counterbalanced flex window according to claim 1 in which said bottom sash shoe is a cam operated sash shoe.

6. The counterbalanced flex window according to claim 1 in which said window is provided with a retractable screen.